1.1 kg. of shabu seized in Cebu City

MORE than one kilo of alleged shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), considered to be the biggest drug haul for January, were seized in separate buy-bust operations on Wednesday, January 19, 2022.

Khent "Mikmik" Basarte, 23, and Rellou Suquib Donaire, 33, both residents of sitio Sugarland, Barangay Bacayan, were arrested by the police at 10 p.m. on Wednesday,

in Kamagong Street, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, for having in their possession 1,055 grams of suspected shabu with a street drug price value of P7.1 million.

The buy-bust operation was conducted by the elements of the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) headed by Major Jonathan Taneo.

Taneo said they had been monitoring Khent and Rellou for more than one week before conducting the buy-bust operation after confirming that they were involved in the illegal drug trade.

"Sa previous nato nga mga operations ang pangalan aning duha nanggawas until such time nga nakakuha ta ug contacts ug atong gisuwayan ug transak ug nikagat man pud sa atong text hangtud nga niabot sa ani nga punto (The names of these two cropped up in our previous operations, until such time when we were able to get their contact numbers and texted them that resulted in their arrest)," Taneo said.

The DEU chief said that the two pointed to an inmate at the Cebu City jail as their source of drug supply.

The police, however, refused to divulge the name of the inmate so as not to compromise their future drug operations.

The other two drug suspects, Raymond Mier Labay, 41, of sitio Sandayong, Guadalupe, Cebu City and John Clifford Flores, 25, of sitio Puntod, Barangay Mambaling,

Cebu City, were also arrested in a buy-bust operation headed by Major Joseph Aquino of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU)-7 in Sitio Babao,

Barangay Mambaling on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Taken from their possession were 110 grams of suspected shabu worth P748,000.

CCPO Director Col. Ernesto Salvador Tagle cited the policemen for their accomplishments.

This is the biggest shabu haul so far since Tagle assumed the role as the city's police chief earlier this month.

Tagle described the four drug suspects, who are now facing charges under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002, as "high value" targets of the Philippine National Police.

Tagle warned other drug traffickers to stop their illegal activities if they still want to live.

"Mamatay gyud sila kon mosukol sila. Ana gyud na mapaingon nga walay klaro ang ilang kinabu mas maayo nga undangon nalang gyud nila kining maong ilegal (They

would get killed if they resist. It is better for them to stop since they are living with no direction in life)," Tagle said. (BBT, TPT)